I know that many of you are not sports fans. That’s OK. If you are a sports fan, you might appreciate this story. If you’re not a sports fan, you can add this to the list of behaviors you’re happy not to be associated with. Win-win – everyone gets a prize.

It’s no secret that when Faith and I met my brother in Pittsburgh, that the primary objective was sports related. We had tickets to the Steelers football game on Sunday, and the Pirates baseball game on Monday. In addition, we timed our arrival on Pittsburgh’s North Shore to coincide with the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) football game. That wasn’t so much sports related, as it was to avoid pre-game and post-game traffic.

We won’t talk about the Steelers game. Or any Steelers game. Just shush.

The Pirates game was special, for a couple of reasons. 1) My brother had never been to PNC Park. Like me, he had attended many baseball games at Forbes Field and a few at the miserable experience that was Three Rivers Stadium. 2) The Pirates went into that game playing .500 baseball – an equal number of wins and losses. They were not in contention (other than mathematically) to go into the post-season, but they could easily have a “winning” season. Our goal was to see them win and start their march toward that winning season. As such, we were appropriately dressed – shirts, caps, hoodies and earlier in the day, we purchased socks.

You can laugh, but the Pirates won!

When we were getting ready, I chose one of my “lucky” shirts, but not the one with the best win/loss record. That’s right, I know which shirt has traditionally been lucky. It’s a black shirt, with a dark red Pirates logo. I didn’t want to wear it, because I wanted the logo to stand out. I chose a shirt with the traditional black and gold color scheme (all Pittsburgh teams wear black and gold).

The following morning, we packed up and Faith and I headed for Connecticut. My brother was staying in Pittsburgh the rest of the week, so he was in no hurry to check out. A couple hours later, I received a text from my brother – I had left my unworn Pirates and Steelers clothing in the anemic little dresser, including my luckiest Pirates shirt. My brother offered to mail it all back to me, and added the following:

“A little OCD can be a good thing – why else would I check drawers that I didn’t use?”

It was a very good thing. The shirts arrived in time for the last series of the season, and I was wearing my best shirt the night the Pirates clinched a winning season.

Of course, I’m not superstitious enough to believe that what I wear actually matters. If that were the case, the Steelers wouldn’t be tied for last place in the AFC North. Still, it’s fun to represent your team, and to feel like you’re a part of the games. Now it’s time to put the baseball shirts away until February – hockey starts tomorrow – Let’s Go Pens!

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Published by Dan Antion

Husband, father, woodworker, cyclist, photographer, geek - oh wait, I’m writing this like I only have 140 characters. I am all those things, and more, and all of these passions present me with opportunities to observe, and think about things that I can’t write about in other places. I have started this blog to catch the stuff that falls out, overflows and just plain doesn’t fit the other containers in my life.
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Never underestimate the transformative power of lucky shirts. I’m a Red Sox fan, we take superstitions seriously!
Had to laugh at the floating tiki bar, not exactly the image that comes to mind when I think of Pittsburgh.
🤣

Well, whatever you’ve been wearing this summer, it’s been working for the Sox. I have a Boston shirt (no team, just city). I used to wear it to the bar I go to on Saturdays. It seemed that every time I wore it, the Red Sox lost. The bartender told me one day, “if I see you in here with that shirt on again, I’m going to rip it off you, take it into the parking lot and burn it.”

I had read about the floating tiki bars (I think there’s a fleet of 16) and I have to agree, it seemed a like an idea meant for a different city.

Oh yay! Hubby is the same. I NEVER use drawers at hotels and for a long time didn’t hang things in the closet. I once hung a swimsuit to dry in the shower in a FL hotel and left it. 😩Of course no one ‘found’ it. He still checks every nook and cranny before we leave. We do use the safes. Congrats on having an OCD in your life too. We have our lucky routine also. On LSU game days I have to wear purple and gold whether attending or watching the game or not. And wings and beer are in order. Last Friday we couldn’t watch due to our not having ESPN and wanting to stay in since it was a 9 pm kidkoff. So we ordered Hooters and stayed home, checking in with friends and family. They played an awesome game! Go teams!

I usually hang things, but I don’t use the drawers unless I’m staying for a long time. These drawers were so small, I was still living out of my suitcase. I usually scour the room, but my brother was staying, so my routine was off. I’m glad his wasn’t.

It’s only weird if it doesn’t work. I had a Packers sweatshirt that I would never wear on Sundays when Favre was playing. I swear they lost every single time I wore it during a game. Great piece of clothing for the rest of the week, though. This past Sunday, I finally put my #12 jersey on (because the previous Sundays I adorned Packer T-shirts). Guess what? They shut out the Bills! I’m wearing it every Sunday now until Super Bowl Sunday (sorry about you-know-what-shush-team).

Ha! I had a good friend (she passed last year) who was a diehard Cardinals fan…probably because she grew up in St. Louis. Baseball brought her so much joy and she relished in kibitzing with the Brewer fans when the two teams played. I’d like to think that regardless of her preference that she’s cheering for the Brewers up in heaven. :-)

My dad always taught us to cheer for our team, then our division, then our league/conference. That would rule out my ever having to root for the Red Sox or say, Dallas, but would require me to root for the Patriots in the Super Bowl – sorry dad. You have to like the way the Brewers just never gave up. They just kept chipping away at the Cubs.

My husband has a favorite Patriots shirt he wears, I understand. :-) But, I also have to tell you that you’ve become part of the football season here at our house. When the Steelers are playing, I’ll hear “Dan’s team is on.” Then I get the scores throughout the evening. Finally, I’ll hear “Dan’s happy or Dan’s not happy.” :-)

Ha ha – I don’t like the Patriots, but I do feel good for my friends who are fans. I know that feeling, and I’m happy for them. When they win, I think “at least so and so is happy.” It looks like I’d have to bundle up in everything I own for the Steelers to do well this year.

I little OCD…that’s so funny because my husband is the same way. I won’t use hotel drawers, but I do hang up stuff. Leaving a hotel is an ordeal because he has to do ‘one last check.’ Glad you got your shirt, though!

I’m the one who does all the checking (and usually rechecking) at motels and other places. Someone has to do it and how great that your brother did!! Sounds like you had a good time, but my favorite line is “hockey starts tomorrow!!” Go, Blackhawks!

Thanks Ginger. I’m glad you liked the mud picture – I was beginning to think it was just me.

I had read about the guy who was introducing the floating tiki bars, and I thought he was nuts. Then again, it looked like it had a good crowd on board.

As for the superstition, it’s like Mary said (above) “It’s only weird if it doesn’t work.” We won’t talk about all the Steelers gear that was worn to the losing game, but those Pirates socks did the trick!

Maddie wasn’t going to have a picture in today, but last night, she was just pointing at everything. I didn’t get a great picture (she looks better pointing with her other paw, but I had to include it.

Ha Ha Ha. That’s probably why I never watch sports with friends or in public because I’m cheering both teams. I had my share of ugly spats with close friends when I support the “Other Team” or “Other Nations” against my own. Sports is not just about winning, but much more. I was leading my school cricket team but I always appreciated the talent in the opposition team. It helped me to become better. That’s my experience and perspective. :)

I’m not a sports fan myself (except for wrestling), but I have to say, OCD or not, this is excellent advice for anyone (especially those who travel), and we should all strive to make it a habit — check EVERYTHING! Check your cart when you leave the store (I once left a new windshield wiper blade in a cart), turn around and give the grocery checkout a last look (I once left a bag of groceries), check your table at the restaurant before you leave (I once left my purse), and of course, if you’re staying in a hotel or staying at someone else’s house, give every drawer, closet, bathroom, nook and cranny a 4th look! (I once left my ring on the dresser at a friend’s house — in another country. ;P)

I can enjoy any sports team – with my eyes closed. And if the rest of the room is lucky I won’t snore. Being at the game makes little difference. It does not increase my attention span. Having good scenery outside the park helps. Enjoy those games, somebody should. Hockey is about the only sport my wife does not watch – so I get plenty of chances to catch up on my sleep. I hear someone is working on a lucky shirt for Browns fans. Though it just might be an urban legend. Nice pics…

Football is great, very exciting. Baseball has two rules, or else it is boring. One: You have to watch the whole game, you can’t start watching after it’s already begun, or it will be no good. Two: You have to see baseball live, on TV it just isn’t the same.

I do enjoy baseball live, but I can watch it on TV. I can’t follow hockey on TV (because half the time the cameraman can’t find the puck). In the stands, we are always early and we always stay until the end.

Like the sculpture! Me thinks a real OCD-er would not want to repeat your one-liner:) My goodness, the works eh, in clothes. Although several in the family do some kine of sport it never rubbed off on me:) Except for swinging a hockey stick if someone would try attack me, lol.

By comparison to some people we know and many that we’ve seen at these events, our clothing collection is modest. The sculpture is one of three around the ballpark. My brother did give me permission to quote him – he’s a good sport, too.

I’m not a sports fan but I love prizes. Right off the bat I was hooked “Win-win – everyone gets a prize.”

This reminded me of the movie Major League. At least I think it was Major League. The one player had an altar with whiskey and candles set up at this locker. Then something about the egg but he should have got a live chicken for good luck.

Sports fans, and the athletes are so superstitious! Big Baby Boy played Baseball since he was 5 up til University. In High School one season he wore his belt backwards all season, and another season he didn’t allow me to wash his jersey until they lost. It was really gross by the end of that season.

In college he played Rugby. I have no idea what superstition he applied to those seasons. Thankfully I wasn’t in the same state so couldn’t see the games. I was so happy when he stopped playing that sport!

I’m glad you got your favorite shirts back! A little OCD was definitely a good thing!

We are a family hooked on Football…collegiate and professional! Being part of the Pac12 out west here and contributors to the Huskies (4 years of college expense for our youngest)…Saturdays are tied up with that! Sundays and being part of a family fantasy league we started years ago has us us following all of the games (bless the Red Zone coverage). I grew up a KC Chiefs fan (in Eastern Iowa most were Chicago Bears fans…I had to be different). Living in Denver for 12 years…huge Bronco Fan and attended many games. 24 years in San Diego saw us rooting for division rival of the Broncos…Chargers!! (until their traitorous move to LA)…then our time in the Seattle area when they took the Super Bowl…different division than we had supported all those years, so that was ok. Never got on board the Cardinal train as it started to derail when we moved to Phoenix area and now we found ourselves in LA….so confused….

For years, it was hard to keep up with favorite teams if you moved. You’ve had quite a collection of home teams, Kirt. Starting out in Pittsburgh, I was vaccinated with black and gold. I like some local teams, but I’m still in the ‘Burgh. Thank goodness for modern media in the regard.